DST Vision(TM) and Acxiom(R) Introduce Innovative Prospecting Service

DST Vision(TM) and Acxiom(R) Introduce Innovative Prospecting
Service
Advanced Capabilities Help Independent Advisors Grow Their Practices 


KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DST Vision(TM), the leading
account management Web site for financial intermediaries, now offers a
prospecting service that enables financial advisors using Vision to build custom
mailing lists for use in direct mail campaigns. The service is based on
Acxiom(R) Corporation's InfoBase(R), one of the most comprehensive and accurate
U.S. consumer databases available, with information on more than 100 million
U.S. households.

The distinguishing feature of this service is its ability to precisely target
potential customers by specific demographic and lifestyle criteria. These
criteria include household income, net worth, occupation, age, recreational
interests and family size. For example, advisors may identify characteristics of
their most-profitable clients and then find prospects that match these distinct
characteristics. In addition, they can further develop niche markets, such as
specific ethnic groups or occupations, in which they are already successful.

As part of an advisor's ongoing marketing program, the service increases
response rates and reduces costs by narrowing each mailing list to only those
prospects most likely to be interested in a particular subject matter.

"I found the service easy to use and very economical," said Brian P. Walsh, a
principal with Walsh & Nicholson Financial Group in Wayne, Pa. "The ability to
customize the mailing list to match the specific needs of my practice is a major
benefit."

The prospecting service is available through Vision's Alliance Program, which
provides independent advisors access to information and technology typically
found only at larger financial services firms. Advisors benefit from the Program
through a combination of discounted pricing, data integration and seamless
navigation. Currently, Vision's Alliance Program offers access to several other
advisor-based tools, including Search401k(R), Search529(R), Overlap(R) and
Forefield Advisor(TM).

"Our mission is to help advisors become more efficient and grow their
businesses," said Ken Keiser, who manages Vision's Alliance Program. "Improving
the effectiveness of advisor marketing programs through Acxiom's custom-built
mailing lists is the most recent example of this commitment. In the future, we
hope to add print and mail capabilities resulting in fully- automated direct
mail campaigns."

"Today's regulatory environment poses a challenge for advisors to contact their
most promising investment customers," said Scott Zust, Acxiom Financial Services
segment manager. "Direct mail remains an attractive choice. Through thepower of
the Acxiom consumer database, advisors using Vision now have the tools they need
to obtain improved results by having more targeted mail campaigns."

Introduced in 1998, DST Vision(TM) is designed to give independent advisors an
easy-to-use, one-stop information source for customer positions held directly
with fund families and variable annuity providers. With a single ID and
password, advisors have access to account management tools including transaction
processing capabilities, customizable client portfolios, and access to
electronic statements. A majority of third-party-distributed mutual funds,
representing more than 93 million accounts, and over half of the leading
variable annuity providers participate in Vision(R), including industry giants
AllianceBernstein, AIM Investments, American Funds, MFS Investment Management,
Nationwide Financial, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., and Pacific Life. Vision is
continually enhanced to simplify account management and serve the evolving needs
of financial intermediaries. Visit Vision at http://www.dstvision.com/ .

DST Systems, Inc. (NYSE:DST) provides sophisticated information processing and
computer software services and products that help clients improve productivity,
increase efficiencies, and provide higher levels of customer service. DST is
organized domestically and internationally into three operating segments:
Financial Services, Customer Management, and Output Solutions. DST operates one
of the most advanced data centers in the world, which provides
information-processing services to support the products within each operating
segment. These products are further enhanced through the integration of DST's
advanced technology and e-commerce solutions.

Acxiom Corporation (NASDAQ:ACXM) integrates data, services and technology to
create and deliver customer and information management solutions for many of the
largest, most respected companies in the world. The core components of Acxiom's
innovative solutions are Customer Data Integration (CDI) technology, data,
database services, IT outsourcing, consulting and analytics, and privacy
leadership. Founded in 1969, Acxiom is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas,
with locations throughout the United States and Europe, and in Australia and
Japan. For more information, visit http://www.acxiom.com/ . 

DATASOURCE: DST Systems, Inc.



CONTACT:  Jill Metzler, Media Relations of DST Systems, Inc.,

[phone]



Web site:  http://www.acxiom.com/

http://www.dstvision.com/ 

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